Switch stand



J. S. REID.

SWITCH STAND. APPLICATION FILED SEPT, 19, 1921.

Patented Mar. 14, 1922.

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SWITCH STAND. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 19. 1921.

Patented Mar. 14, 1922. Q 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- 6R & A w, K? 1 \a I, amvewto'c gzwmwlp v flt/tovmugo az ql', 1/ 5 m PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES S. REID, OF HARRISBURG,'ILLINOIS.

SWITCH STAND.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented Mar. 14:, 1922.

Application filed September '19, 1921.. Serial No. 501,732.

To all 107mm it may concern:

zen of the United States,-residing at Harrisburg, in the county of Saline and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch Stands; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains' to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improved mechanism for operating a switch point and one object ot' the invention is to provide an operating mechanism which is so constructed that the switch point can be readily moved to a set position and direct a train moving along the main track in one direction into a siding, a train moving along the main tracl: in an opposite direction being permitted to cross the switch without danger of breakage to the switch or operating mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to so construct this operating mechanism that the switch operating mechanism may have associated therewith a signal turned to an adjusted position by means of a shaft upon which is mounted the operating lever which ismounted to engage a portion of the switch moving mechanism and serve as weight control means for moving the switch mechanism to set the switch in a desired position and yieldably retain theswitch points in the set position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a switch operating mechanism which may if desired be locked in a set position, but

which is so constructed that in case the mechanism should be locked the latching means which is easy to replace will be broken by a train moving across the switch instead or" the switch operating mechanism.

Another object oi the invention is to pro v-ide a switch operating mechanism which can be readily mounted upon the ties where it. can be easily reached and to further provide a switch operating mechanismwhich will be easy to operate and which will be so constructed that a switch cannot be moved to an adjusted position without the signal being set in the proper position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a switch operating mechanism which will be composed of parts having a simple construction and so constructed that they will be very strong and durable.

This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a top plan view of the switch operating mechanism.

Figure 9- is a View showing the switch operating mechanism in side elevation.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Figure 4c is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

igure 5 is a perspective view of a block forming part of the switch operating mech anism.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the support forming part of the switch operating mechanism.

This switch operating mechanism is provided with a support which is shown in Fig. 6 and is provided with a pocket 1 which is open at 'its upper and lower ends as shown in Fig. 4 and is carried by strips or plates 2 and 2' of such length that they can be placed upon the ties 3 and spiked to the ties by means of spikes 4- which will be driven through the openings 01 the plate 2 down'into the ties. A sleeve 6 ex tends from the undertace of the plate 2 to provide a bearing for a purpose to be hereinafter brought out. One wall oi. the pocket 1 is extended upwardly to "Form a neck 7 from which extends an'arm S, the arm 8 extending over the plate 2 and above a tongue '9 which extends from the pocket and is provided with an opening 10 positioned beneath an opening 11 formed in the arm 8. Latching strips 12 are hingedly connected with the wall of the pocket 1 as shown at 13 and are adapted to extend across the pocket so that the eyes 1% will extend up through the slots 15 formed in the free end portions of these strips.

The switch operating mechanism includes a bell crank lever 16 which is mounted beneath. the plate 2 by means of a securing belt or pin 17 mounted in the sleeve 6. A rod 18 is pivotally connected with one end of the bell crank lever by means of a bolt 19 and will be extended for connection with the switch point in the usual manner. rod 18 has been shown broken off and the switch point has not been illustrated since the switch point is of a conventional construction and will be connected with and The Y moved by the rod 18 in the usual manner. A link 20 is pivotally connected with the second arm of the bell crank lever 16 by means of a bolt 21. This link 20 extends longitudinally of the plate 2 and is pivotally mounted between the spaced walls or plates 22 of a block by means of a bolt 23. The block is substantially triangular in shape and has its upper portion forming side extensions or arms 2 1 which are connected by webs forming abutments. This block is positioned within the pocket 1 and will be pivotally mounted therein by means of a shaft 26 which extends through the bearings 27 and has one end portion extending between the strip or tongue 9 and arm 8 as shown in F Froman inspection of this figure, it will be seen that this extended end portion of the shaft 26 carries a gear or pinion 28 which meshes with a larger gear or pinion 29 mounted upon a shaft 30. This shaft 30 extends up throughthe opening 11 of the arm 8 and carries a signal head 31 and it will be readily seen that when the shaft 26 is rotated, rotary movement will be transmittedto the shaft 30 and the signal head thus turned to the desired position. In order to impart rotary movement to the shaft 26. there has been provided a lever bar 32 which is mounted upon this shaft 26 between the walls of the block and is provided with a weight forming portion 33 at its free end. This lever .32 is rigidly secured upon the shaft 26 by means of a pin 3 1- and it will thus be ment to the rod 18 through the medium of. the linlr 20 and bell 'crank lever 16 to set the switch point in the desired position. "With the switch point-set in a desired position, a train may pass along the track in a direction moving from'the pivoted end of.

the point to the free end thereof and as the flanges of the wheel pass between the switch point and the track, the switch point is free to move and in doing so imparts rocking movement to the block. During this rockin'g movement, the lever 32- will be swung 1 upwardly ashort distance and as soon as the train has passed over the switch, the weight of the lever will return the switch point to the desired position. It will thus be seen that the switch point can be retained in the desired position by the weight of the lever but danger of breakage will be avoided. If one of the latch strips 12 has been swung over the lever and a padlock passed through the eye 1st to secure the lever against being moved by unauthorized persons, a train can still pass over the switch and the only damage which will occur, will be the breakingof the latching strip which can be easily replaced.

1' claim:

lf A switch operating mechanism comprising a support, a shaft carried by said support, a block suspended from said shaft and having spaced side plates mounted upon the shaft and having their upper end portions provided with side extensions, webs connecting theside extensions of the plates to provide abutments, means connected. with thelower end portion of said block for transmitting movement to a switch point, and a weighted lever carried by said shaft between the side plates of the block for swinging movement into position for resting upon a web at aselected side of said bloclr to move the block and by its weight yieldably retain the block in a set position.

)1 switch operating mechanism comprising a support, a shaft carried by said support, a block suspended from said shaft and having spaced side plates and webs connecting the upper side portions of the plates to provide abutments upon opposite sides of the shaft, means connected with the block for imparting movement to a switch point when the block is moved, and a lever mounted upon said shaft between the side plates of the block and having swinging movement into position for resting upon a selected abutment of the block toswing the block'and hold the'block in an adjusted position.

3. The structure of claim 1 havingthe support consisting of a tie engaging plate and a pocket to one side of the plate having the shaft jou'rnalled therein, bearing arms extending fromthepocket above the plate, and a visible signal having a shaft journalledin said arms and having geared connection with said shaft whereby the signal will be turned to an adjusted position when a switch point is adjusted.

- In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. I e 7 JAMES SREID' 

